A Fresh Flower Blog by George Thomas Florist, Your Local Indianapolis Florist.

Pantone’s color of the year for 2018 is Ultra Violet

As a nod to inventiveness and imagination – with a little tribute to Prince mixed in for good measure – Pantone has chosen Ultra Violet as color of the year for 2018.

Ultra Violet (18-3838) is a deep, rich blue-based purple that, according to Pantone, communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking. Pantone goes on to describe their pick of the provocative purple shade as a tribute to the unknown

This year’s color selection is a stark contrast to the past four years which have consisted of softer and more muted colors such as Greenery in 2017, the duo of Rose Quartz and the light blue Serenity in 2016, along with the wine-colored Marsala of 2015. Prior to that, Pantone used a lighter shade of purple in 2014 with their selection of Radiant Orchid.

Image: Pantone

The bold purple may be a curious choice for some, but a closer look reveals that the opposing colors that make up Ultra Violet – red and blue – are largely symbolic of the polarizing American political climate of 2017 along with the hope that we can become more unified in 2018.

Aside from the political overtones, Ultra Violet is just a fun color that comes at a time when we could all use a little more fun in our lives. The dynamic shade of Purple also fits perfectly in the floral industry since it can be such an eye-catching accent color.

Lilacs, sage, clematis, and allium are close matches for Ultra Violet, but there are other options as well. Carnations, Lily of the Nile, anemones, hyacinth, chrysanthemums, hydrangea, and orchids can also be closely matched to Ultra Violet, as can a multitude of other varieties.

Now is your chance to jump on this new trend in its infancy. Your friends at George Thomas Florist are ready to help you select the perfect bouquet featuring 2018’s hottest color – Ultra Violet. Only time will tell if this year’s color of the year is prophecy, but even if not, it’s still a fun shade to use.